M5 MacBook Air for $50 off vs one of the best MacBook Air deals ever – M4 for $320

Apple’s updated M5 MacBook Air is here and now we’re tracking down prices of up to $50 across the lineup. But the question is whether or not upgrading to a new model justifies the cost for a $50 discount, especially if you can get a fully capable M4 MacBook Air in brand new condition from Amazon at a major retailer. $320 discount right now.

Now obviously, anyone who already owns an M4 model is unlikely to switch to another M4 machine, even if it’s a RAM/storage upgrade at a huge discount. But for those upgrading from an older machine, keeping the 16GB M4 at $320 off its original price might be a more compelling option:

While Apple has upgraded the new M5 lineup with higher-end specs in the RAM and storage departments, and in doing so lowered the cost of those upgraded devices, it’s still going to cost more than the M4 model deals above — the comparable 15-inch is still $170 more than the M4:

• 13-inch M5 MacBook Air 16GB/512GB $1,050 (Reg. $1,099)
• 13-inch M5 MacBook Air 16GB/1TB $1,250 (Reg. $1,299)
• 13-inch M5 MacBook Air 24GB/1TB $1,450 (Reg. $1,499)
• 15-inch M5 MacBook Air 16GB/512GB $1,250 (Reg. $1,299)
• 15-inch M5 MacBook Air 16GB/1TB $1,450 (Reg. $1,499)
• 15-inch M5 MacBook Air 24GB/1TB $1,650 (Reg. $1,699)

This also raises the question of timing. If you’re too excited to wait for it, there’s a very good chance we’ll see new M5 models drop at prices very close to what we’re seeing for the M4 model right now.

Where that might be is anyone’s guess, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the 16GB/512GB 15-inch M5 drop from its new $1,299 list price down to $1,149 for Prime Day or Black Friday. A full $200 discount is also possible and could happen as soon as July if the M5 goes the way of the M5, but $1,079 is a bit of a stretch – we didn’t see the M4 drop this far until the M5 was released.

And with all that said, prices considered, and possible future deals on the M5 on the table, the most important questions left here would be: What is the difference between the M4 MacBook Air and the new M5 model?

They look exactly the same, come in the same four colors, and will be supported by Apple for as long as almost anyone will need them – they generally come down to three important things in my opinion:

I episode of M5 – it’s simply faster, more reliable, and more powerful. I’d argue that most users won’t be able to tell the difference day to day, but it’s really fast.

I N1 wireless chip – the new M5 model carries Apple’s in-house wireless chip instead of a third-party solution in the M4 and this enables Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) support that you won’t find in the M4 and Bluetooth 6 instead of Bluetooth 5.

There is a better, faster charger for the M5 – Apple has upgraded the included charger for the M5 model from the 30W USB-C that shipped with the M4 to a 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with a 60W Max. You can pick one of these up for under $30 though, and this probably isn’t all that big of a deal, but it is something.

Finally, if you can’t wait for a better deal on the M5 and you’re a regular user, the M4 for $320 off is one of the best deals we’ve seen on a modern MacBook Air after the release of the next model, perhaps, for years. If you’re willing to wait or already have an M4 model, wait, or just trade in an M5 instead.

M5 MacBook Air vs M4 MacBook Air: What really changed?